Compound tool



May 1, 1928. 1,668,262

. J. K: BINGAMAN COMPOUND TOOL Filed July 7. 1926 m Quorum,

Patented May 1, 1928.

UNITED STATES JAMES K. BINGAMAN,

OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

COMPOUND TOOL.

Application med July 7, 1926. Serial No. 121,019.

This invention relates to an article of manufacture and more particularly to a coordinate assembly of commonly used instruments. l

An object of this invention is to provide a small compact assembly of commonly used instruments, namely, a button-hook, shoehorn, corkscrew, and cap-puller, so constructed and assembled as to coordinate 1n H usage.

' Another object is to providea combined corkscrew and cap-puller hinged to a handle member, as some other instrument, the corkscrew serving as a friction member, due to its screw characteristics, engaging the top of the cap to be pulled and coordinating with a hook hinged to the corkscrew and adapted to engage the lower edge of the cap.

Another object is to provide a small article suitable as an advertising novelty,

which article comprises various useful instruments secured together and adapted to be folded upon each other to render the article as compact as possible when not in use so that it can be conveniently carried by the person.

Further objects and certain advantages will be more fully set forth in the description of the'accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the article depicting it in its folded or carrying position;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the article 6 illustrating it in a service position; and

Fig. 3 is a side view of the article showing it in position to remove the cap from a bottle with the corkscrew serving as an element of thecap remover and the shoe-horn as the handle element.

A length of round material is bent at one end to provide a conventional button-hook 1 and the other end is bent into a triangularshaped loop 2, the loop being flattened in the same plane with the book 1.

A shoe-horn portion 3 is formed from a sheet of material curved to the shape of the heel and with an end portion 4 turned back upon itself. The turned portion encircles the side 5 of the triangular-shaped loop 2 to provide hinged connection between the button-hook member and the shoehorn.

The shank portion of the button-hook element extends from a corner of the triangular-shaped loop 2. This shank of the buttonhook element is disposed at right angles to the side 5 of the triangular-shaped loop 2, the line of the shank bisecting the hinge connection at the side of the triangular loop. Vhen the shoe-horn is inserted in the shoe during fitting, the button-hook element or handle for the slme-horn can be drawn down at an angle and away from the rear of the foot, thus providing that a secure hold may be thereby obtained. The triangular hinge portion provides a broad surface under which the index finger may be placed during retraction of the horn from the shoe, and the thumb can be placed into the triangular shaped area from above and a very secure hold taken for ease in withdrawing the shoehorn.

A corkscrew 6 is pivoted to the side 5 of a threaded as at 7 from an intermediate portion to the outer end. The corkscrew functions as one element of a cap-pulling instrument and has a swinging hook 8 pivoted intermediate the corkscrew ends.

The manner of using the cap puller (as shown in Fig. 3) is to place the corkscrew across the top of the cap 9 to be pulled and to swing the outwardly extending hook underneath the lower edge of the cap, the shoe-horn serving as the handle for pulling the cap. The screw-threads of the corkscrew function to prevent slippage of-the corkscrew across the cap top when the cap is being drawn. 7

\Vhen the article is being used as ashoehorn the button-hook serves as a handle for the user, and when the button-hook portion is used the shoe-horn portion serves as a handle for the user. Likewise the corkscrew is manipulated by means of the shoe-horn. When the article is to be carried the buttonhook and corkscrew are folded back upon the rear of the shoe horn and the cap-puller hook also swings against the body of the shoe horn (see Fig. 1). The article can be carried in a very small amount of space and is very convenient for traveling.

Having described my invention, I claim: 1. An article of the class described, comprising a corkscrew member, a cap-pulling hook secured to said corkscrew, a handle for said corkscrew, the threads of said corkscrew adapted to frictionally engage the surface of the cap to be pulled, and said cap-pulling hook adapted to engage the cap edge whereby the cap then is gripped and removed.

2. An article of the class described, comprising a shoe-horn and abutt0n-hook hinged together, the hinged end of said button-hook bent into a triangular shape with the shank of said buttonhook extending from a corner of said triangle and the opposite side of the triangle serving as a hinge pivot for the respective members.

3. An article of the class described, comprising a shoe-horn and button-hook hinged together, the button-hook formed of Wire metal bent to provide a. hinged pivot at right. angles to the shank of the button-hook, said pivot encircled by the metal of the shoe-horn for said hinge connection, whereby the button-hook may be swung to any angle for easy manipulation of the shoe-horn.

4. An article of the class described, comprising a shoe-horn, a handle for said shoehorn formed of bar metal to provide an attaching portion at right angles to and bisected by the line of the handle shank, and

a button-hook at the opposite end of said my name. 6 I [I p JAMES K. BINGAMAN 

